The Cries of the Dead (A Moon Knight Inspired Fan-fiction)

Chapter Four: Offers for the Future

(Trigger Warning: Rape (heavily implied), strong themes, strong sexual references, course language and violence.)

"What the hell Steven?" Marc snapped as he marched into the bathroom of his apartment, after returning from Desire.

Running both hands over his face, he then stared at the mirror, waiting for the coward to show his face.

The entire journey home, Marc had been trying to reach his alter; willingly tugging on the link that Khonshu had given them. Steven appeared apprehensively.

"Marc?" Steven sounded hesitant.

Slowly, Marc saw his reflection shift, facial features softened, and hands lifted to his chest. The softness in Steven was so diametrical to Marc, that it made him avert his eyes.

Marc gripped the side of the sink so tightly his knuckles were white. "Why did you do that, huh?"

Steven frowned. "Do what?"

His eyes snapped to his alter again, lips tightening into a thin line.

"You know what!" He growled.

Explaining in enough detail that Steven blushed, Marc gave the recount of the events in the elevator.

"I-I didn't make you do any of that," Steven's voice shook.

A small part of Marc despised that his alter seemed so hurt, but his anger was too strong. With a sigh, and not fully believing Steven, Marc left the bathroom.

He sat at the small dining table, which was littered with papers and books, and pulled the small note - the one left in the pyramid - from his pocket.

For weeks, Marc had been endeavouring to decipher the insignia on the back - vaguely remembering the familiar wings that had been on the fake stone. But his mind just wouldn't let him remember where he'd seen them.

The letters were faded and unevenly spaced - A, E, N, U, S, M, N, U, A, I, S, T.

Marc had even considered that he'd got it wrong, that it wasn't an emblem, but a word puzzle. So he'd run it through the internet, to no avail.

Amanuensis, was one of the bigger words he'd found, and the only one that might mean something. But there was still the one 'U' and a 'T' left.

If Marc spent enough time, he'd probably find it was a hidden sentence instead. But it had given him a headache trying to put the puzzle together.

"What were you doing tonight anyway?" Steven asked, his voice forcing its way through, causing Marc's head to pound.

There was no point lying. So Marc explained that he'd asked The Shadow to track down Daniel Jones for him, since it seemed that Marc wasn't very good at doing it himself.

Steven didn't say anything, but Marc knew that he was considering this information.

Marc sighed heavily. "Could you take a look at this clue for me?"

"I'm not getting involved in any of the shit you do," Steven informed. "Why don't you let Lia have a look, she's good at this sort of thing. Better than me even."

Marc's jaw clenched. Of course he'd thought about seeing her, acquiring her help. But he couldn't bring himself to face her. Not yet. Maybe not ever.

Steven started to fade, the tension in Marc's head began to ease.

"Steven, how is..?" He stopped himself. Furious that he'd even started to ask the question.